OK I found a way to make spaces count for two. But I am Having trouble getting the java script to work. I still would like to know if there is a way to get the limit value from the field possible using schema. Also I am having trouble getting the Javascript to work on my visualforce page. It does not seem to link to my inputField. I can't seem to find the issue maybe you can see what I am doing wrong. 

Visual Force Page:

<apex:page tabStyle="TAP_Candidate__c" controller="InterviewFormController" >
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!-- Dynamic Version by: Nannette Thacker -->
<!-- http://www.shiningstar.net -->
<!-- Original by :  Ronnie T. Moore -->
<!-- Web Site:  The JavaScript Source -->
<!-- Use one function for multiple text areas on a page -->
<!-- Limit the number of characters per textarea -->
function textCounter(field,cntfield,maxlimit) {
var strTemp = "";
var strCharCounter = 0;
for(var i = 0; i < document.getElementById(field).value.length; i++){
    var strChar = document.getElementById(field).value.substring(i, i + 1);
    
    if(strChar == '\n'){
        strCharCounter += 2;
    }
    else{
        strCharCounter ++;
    }
}
if (strCharCounter > maxlimit) // if too long...trim it!
document.getElementById(field).value = document.getElementById(field).value.substring(0, maxlimit);
// otherwise, update 'characters left' counter
else
document.getElementById(cntfield).value = maxlimit - strCharCounter;
}
</script>
    <a name="top"></a>
<style>
        .redtext { 
            color:red; 
            font-size: 18pt;
            text-align:left;
        }
        .red { 
            color:red;
            font-size: 12pt;
            font-weight:bold;
            text-align:left;
        }
    </style>
    <apex:form id="myForm">
    <apex:pageBlock id="pBlock" title="Interview Form">
    <apex:messages styleClass="redtext"/>
    <apex:pageBlockButtons >
        <apex:commandButton value="Save" action="{!SaveCand}"/>
    </apex:pageBlockButtons>
        <apex:pageBlockSection id="BaseInfo" title="Basic Info">
            <apex:pageBlockSectionItem >
                <apex:outputLabel value="Name"/>
                <apex:inputField id="Name" value="{!TAP.Name}">
                    <apex:actionSupport event="onchange" action="{!autoSave}" ReRender="Name"/>
                </apex:inputField>
            </apex:pageBlockSectionItem>
            <br/>
            <apex:pageBlockSectionItem id="Date">
                <apex:outputLabel value="Date of Interview"/>
                <apex:inputField value="{!TAP.Interview_Date__c}">
                    <apex:actionSupport event="onchange" action="{!autoSave}" ReRender="Date"/>
                </apex:inputField>
            </apex:pageBlockSectionItem>
            <br/>
            <apex:inputField id="By" value="{!TAP.Interviewed_By__c}">
                    <apex:actionSupport event="onchange" action="{!autoSave}" ReRender="By"/>
                </apex:inputField>
            <br/>
            <apex:outputPanel style="font-weight:bold">
                <apex:outputText value="Is there anything I can tell you about Solving IT?"/>
            </apex:outputPanel>
        </apex:pageBlockSection>
        <apex:pageBlockSection id="ResWalk" title="Resumé Walk-Through">
            <apex:outputPanel style="font-weight:bold">
            <apex:outputText value="Things to ask about:"/>
            <ul>
                <li>Education</li>
                <li>Job history</li>
                <li>Reasons for leaving previous jobs</li>
                <li>Things they liked or disliked about previous jobs</li>
            </ul>
            <apex:outputText value="Specific Questions:"/>
            <ul>
                <li>Ask about upward movement and job history</li>
                <li>How current is the candidate’s resumé?</li>
            </ul>
            </apex:outputPanel>
            <br/>
            <apex:pageBlockSectionItem >
                <apex:outputLabel value="Resume Review"/>
                <apex:inputField id="Resume" value="{!TAP.Resume_Review__c}" onkeydown="textCounter('{!$Component.Resume}','{!$Component.ResLimit}',5000);" 
                    onkeyup="textCounter('{!$Component.Resume}','{!$Component.ResLimit}',5000);" style="width:800px; height:500px;">
                </apex:inputField>
            </apex:pageBlockSectionItem>
            <br/>
            <apex:outputText id="ResLimit" value="5000"/>
            <br/>